Change may ease flood insurance cost increases

FEMA will include levees in maps used to calculate risk

Published: Friday, July 12, 2013 at 9:45 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 12, 2013 at 11:54 p.m.

Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes will be among the first to see local levees included in the redrawing of flood maps, officials said Friday.

Inclusion of levees and other flood-protection systems could save homeowners in low-lying areas thousands of dollars as FEMA continues its overhaul of the National Flood Insurance Program and flood maps used to determine flood insurance rates.

Local officials have been aware that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was working on a procedure for including local levees in the maps. But until Friday, officials were unclear how that would be done to accurately reflect flooding risk.

FEMA's previous mapping process ignored levees not certified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Local officials opposed the action, saying it would exaggerate the risk of flooding and cause flood insurance costs to skyrocket for many home and business owners.

"It is a great time for us to be included when we have the Levee District doing the great work they are doing. At the same time, we will be able to show them the great work we have done so far," said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet.

On Friday, FEMA said Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Tammany, St. Charles and Plaquemines parishes, along with 20 out-of-state communities, will be mapped through a pilot program testing FEMA's Levee Analysis and Mapping Procedures, known as LAMP.

Local flood protection officials said they will spend the weekend reviewing the 90-page document detailing FEMA's specifications for including local levees and were excited to see Terrebonne and Lafourche will be part of the process.

"We have been working on this for two years to get them to recognize particularly the south Lafourche levee," said Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph. "We think this opens the door with the pilot program."

Including the levees in the maps is important, but it's also important that the information accurately reflects flooding risk, said North Lafourche Levee District Executive Director Dwayne Bourgeois.

Bourgeois noted the National Academy of Sciences and local officials have criticized previous versions of LAMP.

Local flood protection officials said they hope FEMA's policy is flexible enough for community feedback.

"Computer models don't know if they make sense or not," said Windell Curole, South Lafourche Levee District director. "We know the lay of the land. We have experience. If something doesn't make sense out of the computer model, we can show them factually."

"We've begged FEMA to (let us) be involved so we can make sure it is accurate," Curole said. "It sounds like once we start implementing, there will be some flexibility to make it accurate. We are encouraged."

FEMA representatives couldn't be reached for comment Friday.

Local officials also have the option of appealing preliminary FEMA maps within 90 days of being issued. Lafourche and Terrebonne have already done so.

Claudet said he is eager to see if there will be any ongoing option to update the maps since Terrebonne will have millions of dollars in levee construction through the coming years.

Exactly what pace the mapping process will take is unclear, but FEMA documents say the test program will be in fiscal year 2013, which ends Sept. 30.

It's also unclear how the new procedure will be included in communities that have already accepted or are reviewing their preliminary flood maps.

"These communities have made significant investments to protect themselves but currently aren't getting any credit from FEMA. For too long, FEMA has failed to recognize the reality on the ground along the coast. The new guidelines for these parishes are an important opportunity to improve FEMA's understanding of coastal Louisiana's unique topography and conditions," Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said in a statement praising the pilot program.

The move comes as the congressional delegation is taking action to delay negative effects of flood insurance reform and decrying the release of preliminary maps for Jefferson, St. Bernard and Orleans parishes this week.

"Earlier this year, FEMA caused panic in many parishes in south Louisiana by predicting future flood insurance rates based on incomplete and inaccurate maps, and now they are repeating that same irresponsible mistake with the release of these maps," said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., publicizing a letter to FEMA officials that demands the maps be rescinded.

The delegation has introduced a number of measures aimed at delaying reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program. and more are on the way, Landrieu's office confirmed.

Though levees will be included, local officials stressed that isn't a complete solution to the potential harms reforms could have. Provisions ending grandfathered insurance costs and denial of certain subsidies for policyholders in at-risk areas threaten to send annual rates as high as $30,000 and greatly diminish property values in some areas.

Terrebonne Parish is scheduled to hold a public meeting to discuss the reforms at 6 p.m. July 23 in the Main Library, 151 Library Drive, Houma.

<p>Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes will be among the first to see local levees included in the redrawing of flood maps, officials said Friday.</p><p>Inclusion of levees and other flood-protection systems could save homeowners in low-lying areas thousands of dollars as FEMA continues its overhaul of the National Flood Insurance Program and flood maps used to determine flood insurance rates.</p><p>Local officials have been aware that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was working on a procedure for including local levees in the maps. But until Friday, officials were unclear how that would be done to accurately reflect flooding risk.</p><p>FEMA's previous mapping process ignored levees not certified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Local officials opposed the action, saying it would exaggerate the risk of flooding and cause flood insurance costs to skyrocket for many home and business owners.</p><p>"It is a great time for us to be included when we have the Levee District doing the great work they are doing. At the same time, we will be able to show them the great work we have done so far," said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet.</p><p>On Friday, FEMA said Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Tammany, St. Charles and Plaquemines parishes, along with 20 out-of-state communities, will be mapped through a pilot program testing FEMA's Levee Analysis and Mapping Procedures, known as LAMP.</p><p>Local flood protection officials said they will spend the weekend reviewing the 90-page document detailing FEMA's specifications for including local levees and were excited to see Terrebonne and Lafourche will be part of the process. </p><p>"We have been working on this for two years to get them to recognize particularly the south Lafourche levee," said Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph. "We think this opens the door with the pilot program."</p><p>Including the levees in the maps is important, but it's also important that the information accurately reflects flooding risk, said North Lafourche Levee District Executive Director Dwayne Bourgeois.</p><p>Bourgeois noted the National Academy of Sciences and local officials have criticized previous versions of LAMP.</p><p>Local flood protection officials said they hope FEMA's policy is flexible enough for community feedback. </p><p>"Computer models don't know if they make sense or not," said Windell Curole, South Lafourche Levee District director. "We know the lay of the land. We have experience. If something doesn't make sense out of the computer model, we can show them factually."</p><p>"We've begged FEMA to (let us) be involved so we can make sure it is accurate," Curole said. "It sounds like once we start implementing, there will be some flexibility to make it accurate. We are encouraged." </p><p>FEMA representatives couldn't be reached for comment Friday.</p><p>Local officials also have the option of appealing preliminary FEMA maps within 90 days of being issued. Lafourche and Terrebonne have already done so. </p><p>Claudet said he is eager to see if there will be any ongoing option to update the maps since Terrebonne will have millions of dollars in levee construction through the coming years.</p><p>Exactly what pace the mapping process will take is unclear, but FEMA documents say the test program will be in fiscal year 2013, which ends Sept. 30. </p><p>It's also unclear how the new procedure will be included in communities that have already accepted or are reviewing their preliminary flood maps.</p><p>"These communities have made significant investments to protect themselves but currently aren't getting any credit from FEMA. For too long, FEMA has failed to recognize the reality on the ground along the coast. The new guidelines for these parishes are an important opportunity to improve FEMA's understanding of coastal Louisiana's unique topography and conditions," Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said in a statement praising the pilot program. </p><p>The move comes as the congressional delegation is taking action to delay negative effects of flood insurance reform and decrying the release of preliminary maps for Jefferson, St. Bernard and Orleans parishes this week.</p><p>"Earlier this year, FEMA caused panic in many parishes in south Louisiana by predicting future flood insurance rates based on incomplete and inaccurate maps, and now they are repeating that same irresponsible mistake with the release of these maps," said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., publicizing a letter to FEMA officials that demands the maps be rescinded. </p><p>The delegation has introduced a number of measures aimed at delaying reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program. and more are on the way, Landrieu's office confirmed.</p><p>Though levees will be included, local officials stressed that isn't a complete solution to the potential harms reforms could have. Provisions ending grandfathered insurance costs and denial of certain subsidies for policyholders in at-risk areas threaten to send annual rates as high as $30,000 and greatly diminish property values in some areas.</p><p>Terrebonne Parish is scheduled to hold a public meeting to discuss the reforms at 6 p.m. July 23 in the Main Library, 151 Library Drive, Houma.</p>